Mistic Pets

Welcome to Issue 33
Created by The Mistic Pets Team

Pet Fostering Etiquette
Written By RuthieRox

Pet fostering is something that has become fairly commonplace in the land of Mistica. While it is wonderful to see pets get new homes, and families grow, there are some important things to remember. This goes for both those having pets visiting other families for a time, and those acting as a foster for a friend’s pet. Really, it is all about fairness and polite consideration for one another. Below, you will see some things you may want to consider, no matter which role you are currently playing.

Members searching for a foster:
Consider that another member is not simply holding a pet, but altering their current Mistican
family to do so.

- Will they be feeding your pet and playing with it? Will they have to buy the items for these actions?
- Will they be placing your pet into the Resort at a cost to themselves to provide for
your pet’s comfort and happiness?
These may be things you would want to ask so you can cover the costs, or perhaps you don't
find them to be needed actions. If so, make it clear you do not plan to pay for them.

- How long will it take you to provide the needed space to bring your pet home?
Discussing this with a foster is always the best move. While you may be aware it will be
(example) 3 months, they may think it will be (again, example) 2 weeks. Make sure you’re both on the same page considering the timeline.

- Do you have a backup foster in case a pet comes along that your foster absolutely
wants to bring home? What if there is an LE release?
 This is important to discuss so that your foster doesn't miss out on their chance for a dream pet.

- Will you find a new foster when the time limit for this one comes to an end, or simply
assume they will hold a pet forever?
- Will this pet be your priority, or will you create, or adopt other pets while this one sits
in a foster home?
- What do you plan to do if the fostering member stops playing, and is still holding your
pet? Do you have alternate ways of contacting the member to get your pet back?

All of the things mentioned above are important courtesies to think about.

For the member fostering a pet:
- You should, for your own comfort, make sure you and the pet owner have made a time
limit for how long a pet will stay with you. When doing so, you should also discuss what you will
do if the time limit expires and there has been no contact from the pet owner.
Will you simply hold the pet longer, will you release the pet, or place it up for a new adoption
situation, or, do you feel it is now your pet to alter and edit as you see fit and welcome into
your own family?

- Will you want, or expect certain costs to be covered by the pet’s actual owner?
- What plan should be put in place for the pet’s future transfer home, should you not have
a "free" transfer available?
- Do you dream of an LE pet, and what will you do if one becomes available and you are
still holding this foster pet? Will you find a foster of your own, or would you want this pet removed
sooner than planned?
- What is your plan of action should this owning member stop visiting and playing on site?
Are you to hold this pet indefinitely? How long is long enough?

While these may all seem like small issues, they can become larger as time passes and a pet continues to live in your space, and you wish to have that space back. These may seem like little questions that need not be asked, until it is too late to ask them. The last thing anyone ever wants is for something so simple to come between friends, or prevent others from offering one a foster spot in the future. So while they seem so small and simple, also ask, then, what is the harm in sorting these matters out beforehand?

While considering all of the above possibilities, the one thing to remember above everything else is that,
while the site does not interfere with, nor prevent fostering situations, we also do not encourage them. In ALL of the circumstances outlined above neither members nor staff can or will step in to correct a
fostering gone wrong.

Fostering is, at best, risky on both ends.

Think it over very well before entering into something you really have no control over in the long run.

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